VIDEO of traditional Quw’utsun spear fishery, now underway on the Cowichan River
It’s that time of the year again.
Indigenous fishers are taking their positions on the lower Cowichan River, including two bridges on Tzouhalem Road, in hopes of spearing salmon migrating upstream.
The Tyee ran my feature story on Harold Joe and the traditional spear fishery almost two years ago. (Link to article: https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2023/12/25/New-Twists-Ancient-Fishery/ )
As Joe explained, the Quw’utsun spear begins with a wooden shaft — a round, three-metre Douglas-fir pole — that he buys from Home Depot.
There is a nine-metre length of nylon rope attached to the top of the shaft, connecting it with Joe’s left wrist, so he can retrieve the spear from the river after a throw.
A wooden handle at the top of the shaft offers a good grip.
The bottom of the spear consists of two tempered-steel points, slightly flared, and tightly bound to the shaft with strong twine.
The tips of the points come off when the spear hits a salmon, sinking into the flesh to help prevent escape. But they remain attached to the spear with rebar wire, more nylon rope and flexible rubber from a bicycle inner tube.
“You could pull in a car with that thing,” he said.
The video of Joe and the spear fishery is published here for the first time. (Editing by J Tyerman).
Subscribe free to sixmountains.ca. More than 90,000 unique visitors.
Please share this article and consider a donation.
— Larry Pynn, Oct. 18, 2025